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III IIIIIIIIIIIII III 999 ~rnrrt ~ ~.J V , ...... Snyder Quar to monitor air quality levels J Dust control program sets state precedent en Chietlv because of an outer from the public, Cattle Concrete Company's Snyder Quarry will be the fvst m'~ in h crate that is requiredtohaveadustconvolplan, according to John lames, avquality program supervisor Cor EI Paso County. "There were a number of complaints;' he said. "A lot of citizens requested this." The program, which will include spraying magnesium chloride on the quarry's din access road and wetting down the rock at all stages of processing, should reduce dust levels by "at least 75 percent;' states the repon that was prepared for Castle by the Lakewood consulting E-um, Air Sciences Inc. After discussions -described by lames as "very cordial" - involving Castle representatives and state and county health departments over the past several months, the Air Sciences plan was given final approval last week. The improvements are slated m begin taking place in June. The quarry is readily visible from Highway 24 and Manitou Springs, and swirling dustar the site has been a common occurrence on windy days. County Commissioner Marcy Morrison said she is "delighted" with the plan. "It appears to be a good one,' she said. "I hope it solves the problem Cor Manitou Springs. In the summer months we watch the dust come in over the [own:' James said that health officials have their greatest concern about the nearly microscopic dust panicles that can get into people's lungs. "Insufficient quantities, that can aggravate existing lung conditions;' he said. In the past, however, quarries have not been requ'ued by the state ~ AirQualityConvolCommissionm mect air qualit~tandards, James said. Castle has not even had a monitor m show how much dust was being blown from the site. Installation of a monitor will be pari Of the dust cortvotplan. James said it will be placed near Angel Terrace in the neighboring Cedar Heights subdivision. `In sufficient quantities, that (dust) can aggravate existing lung conditions.' John James, county air quality supervisor He said the quarry will be checked on a regular basis to see that operators are following the program as approved and that dust levels are not exceeding federal air quality standards. He added that S nyder is not the only quarry to have possible dust violations. Citizens have a[ times complained about dust at "all the quarries in the area," James said. However, Snyder was singled out because of the "number of complaints, the amendment request (an 8-acre expansion that was recently approved by the state) and lots ofcitizen interest;' James said. A press release this week from Castle made no mention of the involvement of health officials or the public, while further pledging that similar dust controls will be carried out at the Castle-owned Pikeview Quarry in nonhwesl Colomdo Springs by the end of this year. "We are very sensitive to the environment and feel svongly about preparing Cor the next several decades by taking measures to control the quality of air at all of our operations;' said Gordon Morgan, president of Castle Concrete, in the release. Morgan said the new procedures wit I improve [he overall visibility in the areas surrounding [he quarries, especially on dry, hot days. Rodger Steen of Av Sciences said that implementation of his plan will bring the two quarries to a "dust emission convol level ahead of others in Colorado." Castle Concrete Company is a major supplier of conswction aggregate in the region. Ken Jordan is a local free- lance writer.